Les Halles

Les Halles was Paris' central fresh food market, located in the heart of the city. King Philip II of France enlarged the marketplace in 1183, and he built a shelter for the merchants. The Church of Saint-Eustache was built in the 16th century, followed by the Halle aux Bles in 1763. However, it was unable to compete in the new market economy of the 20th century, and it had fallen into disrepair. In 1971, Les Halles was dismantled, with the wholesale market being moved to Rungis. Les Halles was replaced by the Forum des Halles, a modern shopping mall built largely underground and connected to the massive RER and metro transit hub of Chatelet-Les-Halles.